Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) Tickets

Mos Def: hip-hop legend to play one off show at London's Troxy in 2018

Over his long and diverse career, the man known as Mos Def (born Dante Smith, but now going by the name of Yasiin Bey) has been one of the most intriguing and creative artists in hip-hip; delivering socially-conscious raps and lyrics over infectious, catchy beats for well over 20 years.

Despite semi-retiring in 2016, he remains one of the urban scene's true treasures and is widely regarded as one of the best live acts the genre has ever produced. About.com ranked him 14th on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time, while The Source ranked him 23rd on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.

While he remains a successful and influential campaigner on various issues in the US, such as racism and police brutality, performing live is what he continues to be best known for; and much to the delight of fans in the UK, Mos Def has announced that he will play at the Troxy in London on 8 March with tickets available at StubHub. 

Mos Def: unprecedented output of critically acclaimed work

Mos Def grew up in the cradle of American hip-hop: Brooklyn, New York. After a tumultuous childhood with the sounds of the burgeoning rap genre as the background music, Mos Def launched his performing career first as a child actor before he moved into music.

He began his music career by teaming with his siblings to form the group UTD, then joined up with fellow hip-hop star Talib Kweli to form the group Black Star, producing the acclaimed album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998.

After the partnership with Talib Kweli, Mos Def struck out on his own as a solo artist. In 1999, he dropped his first solo album, Black on Both Sides. The record, which featured guest spots by Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli and Q-Tip, earned enormous critical praise and went gold in the United States.

After taking some time to work on his blossoming film career, Mos Def returned with another acclaimed record in 2004. The New Danger, co-produced by Kanye West, sold over 200,000 copies and debuted at five on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Two years later, Def followed The New Danger up with the record True Magic, and then moved to a new label for the record The Ecstatic.

Since his last solo album, Mos Def has been much in demand as a featured artist. He's guested on records from Stephen Marley, Kanye West, The Roots and Gorillaz, earning more praise for his explosive guest spots. Make sure you grab your ticket to one of the best hip hop shows of 2018; buy Mos Def tickets at StubHub now.

Similar artists to Mos Def

After you've grabbed Mos Def tickets, take a look at some of the other artists listed at StubHub. Grime master Dizzee Rascal is one of the finest of his generation, while Tinie Tempah always puts on a fantastic show.